Improved abdominal supporter



PATENT OEEIoE.

MERRITT F. POTTER, OF KANEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

.IMPROVED ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 90.191, dated May 1S, 1869.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRITT F. POTTER, of Kaneville, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Device for Restrainin g Hemorrhage; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, of which- Figure 2 is a view ofthe invention by itself, and Fig. l is aviewof the device when in use.

The nature of my invention consists of a construction and combination of a refrigerating compress for restraining and preventing uterine hemorrhage, or iiooding, as it is termed, after parturition.

It is Well known, especially to physicians, that cases sometimes occur of violent, sudden, land fatal hemorrhage, for the treatment of which the agents heretofore employed are too often unavailing. For the relief of cases like these the best remedy is cold and pressure applied to the abdomen over the uterus. Cold is generally applied in the form of cloths wet in cold water. If the patient has been previously baudaged, the pressure is increased by tightening the bandage-a difficult matter sometimes, as unpinning it to tighten it again is dangerous from relaxing the pressure.4 The wet cloths are also the cause of much inconvenience and danger, for a few applications are almost certain to wet the clothing of the patient, and the bed-clothing also, and thereby endanger the patient to suffer from an attack of inliammation of the peritoneum 0r uterus.

By my method I apply both cold and pressure without any of the disadvantages attend ing the old method of applying these useful agents, as I will now show.

Fig. 2.-B represents an india-rubber bag, slightly oval in form when collapsed, and about eight inches in its longest diameter. When distended it will present the appearance of a ilattened sphere. It should be made thin and of the best material.

Attached to the bag is the tube G, varying in length from one to four feet. This tube should be made of such caliber that the bag may be distended in an instant. The object of this instantaneous distension is to impart a shock to the system of the patient like that produced by a sudden dash of cold water on the abdomen. N ear the extremity of the tube is the stop-cock S. I) is a clasp attached to B, to assist in retaining it in place.

Immediately after delivery, I apply the bag B in a collapsed state to the abdomen. Over the bag I apply the bandage A, in the usual manner. I also see to it that I am provided with the means of distending this bag in the most rapid manner. One way in which this may be done is to elevate the farther end of the tube C several feet above the patient, and pour ice-water into the bag, through the tube thus elevated, with a funnel iitted into the end to receive the water. The hydrostatic pressure of the liquid will immediately fill the bag, and produce the most powerful compression of the abdomen.

The tube C can be made shorter, and the water maybe thrown in by an elastic syriu ge, made to it the tube O. The ordiliary syringe is not as well adapted for the purpose of sud den distension as one with pipes of larger caliber and more elastic bulb.

It' flooding ensues, I instantly till the bag with ice-water, so far as the bandage will allow, and by the saine act make most powerful compression of the abdomen, which I can adjust at pleasure without disturbing thepatient. When the compress is no longer required, it

' may be removed by uubuttoning the clasp B and drawing it out from under the bandage.

I claiml. The india-rubber bag B, combined with the tube C, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

, 2. The clasp D, in combination with the bag B.

3. The combination of the bag B and tube C with a syringe for distending it, in the man ner and for the purpose set forth.

' 4. Theutero-abdominalcompress,constructed and combined as set forth, as a new article of manufacture.

MERRITT F. POTTER.

Witnesses v G. W. KNIGHT, J oHN MERRILL. 

